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Friday, February 7, 1997

Head Start director reinstated by council

PECOS, February 7, 1997 - Rosa Mosby was not on the job as Pecos Head Start center director this morning, despite a vote Thursday by the policy council to re-instate her.

Head Start Director Norma Rubio fired Mosby Jan. 3; she appealed to the Community Council of Reeves County board, and they voted Jan. 23 to recommend she be reinstated.

CCRC board president Linda Clark said this morning she understood the policy council has the final say in hiring and firing employees, and Mosby's re-instatement would be automatic.

But Bill Wendt, who serves on both boards and chaired the policy council meeting Thursday, said that Mosby's re-instatement would be up to Rubio to carry out.

Rubio said this morning she has not re-hired Mosby. "I would not even consider it," she said.

Meanwhile, parents of Head Start students and center staff have been circulating a petition to have Rubio and CCRC executive director Yvonne Martin fired.

Martin and Rubio had earlier said they would resign if the policy council voted to re-instate Mosby. Neither would say this morning what action they will take, but asked for an interview Monday to explain the overall program and specifics of local problems.

Clark said the petition form - without signatures - was presented to the policy council Thursday. However, because Martin is hired by the CCRC board and Rubio by the policy council, separate petitions probably are required, she said.

Rose Mary Archuleta, a parent who is secretary of the policy council, said the council could call a special meeting before the regular meeting date of March 6 to consider the petition if Rubio refuses to re-instate Mosby.

"The petition is still going," she said. "We will take it up at a later meeting, and there probably will be more signatures. We also need to take it to the CCRC board.

"The way things are going, it would be wise to have a special meeting because of the situation," she said. "There is a deadline to meet by April on the deficiencies."

Head Start regional monitors have told the CCRC that if deficiences are not corrected by April the council is likely to lose funding for the $500,000 Head Start program.

That would not disappoint Ward County Judge Sam Massey, who wants to take over Head Start and other programs CCRC administers in Monahans.

Massey served on the CCRC board several years ago but resigned and "distanced myself from it."

"I resigned from the board because of the seeming lack of ability on the part of the administrtion to be able to hold proper meetings and legal open meetings, and for what I perceived to be the illegal mixing of funds from grants," Massey said.

"They are borrowing money from one fund to pay another that has run short," he said.

Clark said the staff is not borrowing money from one program to pay another, but does have an operating fund that they pay expenses from when a program runds short of money while awaiting reimbursement.

As for Ward County taking over administration of their own Head Start program, Clark said she is all for it. "They are right there and they know what is needed," she said.

CCRC administers grant-funded programs in five counties, said Wendt. One of those counties is Winkler, and board members from Kermit and Wink are also unhappy with the service they are getting.

The board long ago approved Meals on Wheels for Kermit, but the administration has not taken any action to set it up.

Wendt said all the CCRC programs are in danger of being cut if Head Start loses its funding, because half of Martin's salary and part of that for controller Olga Contreras comes out of Head Start funding.

He said he opposed re-instating Mosby because of the friction between her and Rubio.

"I don't really believe that Norma and Rosa would have a successful working relationship," he said. "Right now we have deficiencies that have to be corrected, and we need to have as much harmony as we can possibly get for them to continue to work on them and get them corrected."

Rubio said she tries to keep her focus on priorities despite the turmoil.

"It breaks my heart because the policy council, board members and parents don't see what's going on," she said.

Board members listened to complaints from parents and center staff without giving her a chance to tell her side of the story, Rubio said.

Farm subsidy checks await audit by feds

PECOS, February 7, 1997 - Valentine's Day is approaching, and Reeves County farmers are still waiting for their Christmas check from Uncle Sam.

Last-quarter 1996 subsidy payments were held up by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and it is almost time for first-quarter 1997 payments, said landowner Bill Ramsey.

"They haven't made some of these payments since September, and the bankers want to know when they will get their money," said Ramsey.

Part of the payments are due on Conservation Reserve Program acres that are planted in grasses, and part is under the 1995 farm bill, Ramsey said.

Although Ramsey is a committeeman for the Consolidated Farm Service Agency that certifies acreage for payment, he has been unable to find out what is going on.

"They have had several people in there the last four or five months. They haven't told us what they were doing, except that some things are wrong and they have all the payments held up. These farmers need the money," Ramsey said."They keep telling us that in just a few days they will have it all straightened out," he said.

Harold Bob Bennett, who heads the FSA's state office in College Station, has promised to meet with the farmers and bankers and tell them what the problems are, Ramsey said.

Josh Faddis, an aide in Congressman Henry Bonilla's office, said Thursday he has pushed USDA to resolve the matter and cut the checks.

"What's going on now, there are two program experts there trying to decide what kind of corrective action is needed to get the program rolling again," Faddis said.

"Apparently after their investigation, they don't see any problems. They are not alleging any fraud on the part of producers," he said. "It is just simply a matter of sloppy paperwork and possibly mis-assignments of bases."

Bases are the acreage numbers on which payments are made. Land that has gone through re-constitution - changed bases or switched over to another party - is involved, he said.

Faddis said the office was under-staffed for awhile, and it is possible the staff shortage contributed to the problem. He said he does not know what triggered the audit, but understands there have been problems in the office for quite some time.

"It is not just a random audit," he said.

The first audit was done by staff from the state FSA office, and they made recommendations, but now people from Washington are going over the same ground, Faddis said.

"It is taking way too long and putting people in a bind paying notes and servicing loans," he said. "I have been in touch with these people and letting them know this can't go on forever and they need to come to some resolution pretty quickly. The government made a deal in this "Freedom to Farm Act" and we need to know they will keep their word."

Betty Kellog, spokesperson for FSA'southwest area office, confirmed that two people from Washington are looking at FSA records "to determine whether we will be able to go ahead and pay those producers."

When the staff returns next week to make their report, a decision will be made, she said.

"It is likely the payments will be out in a week or two. The problem is that some of the record keeping hasn't been very good in that office," she said.

Farmers have been asked to bring in documentation on their acreage because auditors couldn't find that information in the files.

"It is a matter of trying to make heads or tails of things," Kellogg said.

The audit was triggered by the retirement of the county executive director, she said.

"He left the county, and when that happens, we normally do send a review team in," she said.

However, the audit reportedly began before any personnel changes occurred.

Mark Maynard, who took early retirement Nov. 1, 1996, said Thursday that he knows little about what is going on. Since his retirement, both clerks resigned, and the office has been without local employees about three weeks.

Linda Alexander of Odessa and Harold Ross of Lamesa have been acting county executive directors, and a clerk from the Fort Stockton office is handling what business she can. Five auditors were in the office Wednesday.

Alexander referred questions about the audit to the Washington office of the USDA.

Bob Bickley, executive director for the Trans-Pecos Cotton Association, said he contacted Bennett and Bonilla (R-San Antonio) in an attempt to get the matter resolved.

"The farmers want to know why they haven't been paid," he said.

He said he doesn't understand how the files could be lacking documentation.

"They never would let me have 15 cents in Mexican money without documentation," he said.

High school tech classes host open house

PECOS, February 7, 1997 - As part of Career and Technology Education week, Pecos High School will be hosting a week-long open house to introduce the public to its local Career and Technology Education (CATE) program.

CATE administrators want the public to see, "Education that Works."

CATE teachers and students will be welcoming the public into classrooms and labs during regularly scheduled class hours next week to see how "Education that Works" affects students, schools and the community.

CATE was created with the idea that America's young people deserve a chance in life to achieve the American dream - a good education, a good job and a good life. It seeks to show students that a good high school education should lead to a good job and a college education plus result in a productive and satisfying life.

"In this economy, a high school diploma doesn't mean what it used to mean," according to CATE Director Larry Sloan and Guidance Counselor Michelle Workman.

The skills students have been receiving are not preparing them to meet the challenges in today's world, they said.

"Why? There are many reasons," the two administrators said. But one thing is clear - students have a difficult time connecting what they hear in the traditional classroom and what they see in the real world.

What young people need and want are skills that have meaning in the real world.

Martin says Gloves needs strong local support

PECOS, Feburary 7, 1997 - Fred Martin was hoping for a few more Open Division fighters this season, for the third annual West of the Pecos Golden Gloves Tournament.

That didn't happen. But eight Pecos-Barstow Warbirds fighters are scheduled to compete in the two-day tournament, and Martin is hoping for a big turnout of local fans, starting tonight at 7 p.m. at the Reeves County Civic Center.

There will be four of eight Warbird boxers on tonight's card, and four Open Division bouts as well out of 17 scheduled.

"I hope we have a good turnout," he said this morning at the Civic Center. "We sure need people to support it. If they don't, eventually, we'll have to drop it.

"People are always complaining there's nothing to do, and here's an opportunity to come here and enjoy a night of boxing, support the kids and the local community," said Martin, who is supervising the tournament, with the support of the Pecos Chamber of Commerce.

Four of the 17 bouts will also be championship fights, including one Open Division matchup, pitting Humberto Zubia against Matt Franco of the Twin Cities Tigers.

"It's kind of a grudge match," Martin said. "They used to be teammates." Fighters from across the Permian Basin and South Plains will be in the Pecos for the two-day tournament, which continues with the remaining championship bouts at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Warbird boxer Isiah Juarez takes on Santos Martinez of Fort Stockton in the first bout tonight, a Junior Olympic bout at 70-75 pounds in the 8-10 year-old division.

The other fights involving local boxers tonight match Michael Vasquez against Henry Castillo of the Lubbock Warriors in a 11-12 year old bout at 80-85 pounds, Paul Juarez against Snyder's Joseph Martinez at 90-100 pounds in the 12-14 division, and Gilbert Plasencia, fighting in the 15-year-old division at 119 pounds against Albert Luna of San Angelo.

"Some of the kids who fight tonight will have to come back if they win and fight again on Saturday," Martin said, including all four Pecos fighters. Other Warbirds scheduled to fight are Ricky Rubio, Jesus Marruffo and Jaime Montano, all of whom were in action at the Civic Center two weeks ago.

Martin said two weeks ago he expected more Open Division fighters to compete in the Golden Gloves this year, but this morning he said the number "was about the same as last year." Open Division winners are the only ones who advance to the State Golden Gloves Tournament, set for March in Fort Worth.

Three Lubbock Warrior fighters - Roman Garcia at 106 pounds, David Thompson at 165 and Craig Mooring in the Super-Heavyweight class - all automatically advanced to Fort Worth with no opponents in their division, as did Snyder's Gabriel Vasquez, fighting at 125 pounds.

Pecos has had one or no fighter in the open division in recent years, though Martin hopes that changes as the current group gets older.

"If Jesus Marruffo looks better he'll be going Open Division, and Montano will go into the Open Division if he stays with it, and it looks like he's going to," Martin said.

The other Open Division bouts tonight match the Warriors' Edward Hernandez III against Jose Luis Lopez of Odessa Southside, in the 147 pound weight class, Chris Molina against Richard Urias of Fort Stockton in the Light Heavyweight Division, and Lubbock's Gabriel Surita against Roy Abalos of Rankin, fighting at 156 pounds.

Exhibit on Black History

focus of event at museum

PECOS, February 7, 1997 - An Open House is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at the West of the Pecos Museum, featuring a special exhibit on Kwanzaa as part of the observance of Black History Month.

"In observance of Black History Month the museum has a special exhibit on the celebration of Kwanzaa," said museum curator Dorinda Venegas. The open house will run from 2-4 p.m., she added.

The public is welcome to attend and refreshments will be served.

Other featured exhibits at the museum this month are a photographic exhibit of parents of U.S. Presidents and a Valentine Exhibit.

The photographs of the president's parents cover parents from the first president of the U.S. George Washington on through Richard Nixon. The exhibit is on loan from the Presidential Museum in Odessa.

A collection of antique Valentines will also be on display. From the simple valentines to the more elaborate three dimensional ones.

Kwanzaa is a unique American Holiday that pays tribute to the rich cultural roots of Americans of African ancestry. Kwanzaa means "the first" or "the first fruits of the harvest," in the East African language of Kiswahili.

It is observed from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1.

Kwanzaa was founded in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, a Black Studies professor who describes himself as a cultural nationalist. Kwanzaa originated as a cultural idea and an expression of the nationalist Us organization which was headed by Dr. Karenga.

It is unique in that it is neither a religious, political, nor heroic but rather a cultural one and is based on seven fundamental principles which are referred to as the Nguzo Saba.

Kwanzaa is not a substitute for the Christmas holiday, even though Dr. Karenga recognized the undue hardship that the over commercialization of Christmas has for Black people and others who are at the lowest rung of the social strata. Therefore, those who find Kwanzaa to be more meaningful to them, now have an option and can still be part of the holiday season.

Gifts may be exchanged during Kwanzaa though it is suggested that they not be given if they present undue hardship. When gifts are given it is suggested that they be creative, such as handmade or functional gifts like a book.

The holiday centers around seven principles of Black Culture. They are unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, economic purpose, creativity and faith.

The public is invited to come by the museum, Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and on Sunday 1-4 p.m.

"We want to invited the public to join us on Saturday or anytime during this month to view the special exhibits," said Venegas.

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